Grand Puy Lacoste has been released at €38.5 per bottle ex-negociant, up 23.4% on the 2013 (€31.2) and up 18.8% on the 2012 (€32.4). It is being offered by merchants at £375 per 12×75. At this price, it is amongst the most expensive recent vintages on the market with only the 2005, 2009 and 2010 commanding higher prices. However, the 2014 – described by Neal Martin as “one of the appellation's most cerebral offerings” – has received a relatively high score of 93-95. The brand also enjoys some favour from the trade: it has held the top spot in the ‘value for money’ category of the Liv-ex members’ survey for the past five years. But will this be enough?
Haut Batailley came out at €22.8 per bottle ex-negociant, up 8.6% on the 2013 (€21) and up 5.6% on 2012 (€21.6). Like Grand Puy Lacoste, it has received a favourable score but several back vintages are available at lower prices. The equally-scored 2012 is available at a slight discount and is already in bottle.
Lascombes was released at €42 per bottle ex-negociant, up 16.7% on 2013 (€36) and up 9.4% on 2012 (€38.4). It is available from merchants at £410 per 12×75 – equal to the current market price of the 2011 and cheaper than all other vintages except 2012 and 2013. Neal Martin described his tasting as “perplexing” and will not score the wine until it has more barrel age. According to James Molesworth (Wine Spectator) it is “not dense but shows nice vibrancy.”
